First build (32 ford coupe 1/2 scale)

[Z0M8I3]

Hello everyone, Newcommer here and came across this forum a day or two ago.

I'm going to be scratch building a 32 ford coupe from american graffiti over the next couple of months. My goal is to have it ready for a local car show the first week of june and 100% completed by the end of september for a local parade.

Specs:
17HP Briggs
6-7ft long
3ft wide front
4ft wide rear
Fiberglass body

Nothing fancy as far as speed just looking for a small cruiser to enjoy.

I don't have much of anything done as of yet other than a teardown of the mower.

The plan is to have a roughly 1/2 scale 32 ford coupe replica from the movie.

I'm going to be using the stock front frame and want to join a RAG to the shaft coming out of the bottom of the engine. The fab up a driveshaft to run back and connect to the pully shaft on the stock rear axle by rotating the axle 90' forward.

Here are a few pics of what it was and is so far (The mock ups are just for personal reference and the length will probably be a little shorter than they show):

Thanks for looking

 

[bighead]

You should start with a FL250 Honda Odyssey Frame and front suspension. It looks just like a car frame and I bet it close to have scale.

 

[bighead]

http://nashville.craigslist.org/atq/2887054630.html

Here is one for $100 in your state. What are you waiting for?
http://huntington.craigslist.org/grd/2915541218.html

Here is another one for $200 with sled engine in your state..
http://lexington.craigslist.org/mcy/2867869334.html

Here is another one for $150 in your state
http://louisville.craigslist.org/mcy/2890639870.html

Thats 3 odysseys for $450 bucks. People have hard time finding deals and look what you have waiting for you. And you would be able to drive it like a real car not a mower.

Thats is if you want to go the Ody derection. It would save you lots of money and time if you could pick one of these up dirt cheap like this.

 

[Z0M8I3]

I've been looking into those more and more this after noon and I'm liking them alot. The frame I'm going to be using is just going to be a custom one built from scratch for the most part. I want to utilize the front of the mower fram because the engine sits perfect there like on the 32 fords with no hoods. The rest of it will be custom though.

For the sake of the june deadline I'm going just just use the mower steering setup if I cant get a front end put together by then but for 100% completion I'm going to have front suspension and all the good stuff.

I've been working a lot lately and not had much time to find parts because our little town was hit by tornadoes on the 3rd of march and pretty much wiped off the map. The good thing is, in working soo much I'm able to get a few bucks but the bad thing is I barely have time to find my parts..lol.

For june the goal is rat rod style and nice and clean for september.

EDIT: (was typing while you posted that) As far as what you've found there, I didn't even see those before..lol. It is hard for me to haul things though, I'm unable to drive long distances and the car couldn't carry mostly anything. I'm hoping to shave a few bucks on the side by re-using some of the metal and debris from cleanup around my town. I've already talked to a few people and one is willing to do all the welding for me and another person on the look out for parts too.

 

[carter]

so if your turning your rear axel 90degrees I'm assuming it has no form of speed adjustment?

 

[Z0M8I3]

so if your turning your rear axel 90degrees I'm assuming it has no form of speed adjustment?

Nope, just throttle for speed and F,N,R.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

That's going to be an interesting build, for sure! I can't wait to see the bodywork! However- with your plans for the RAGB on the pto, and eliminating the transaxle pulley, you'd do very well to crunch the gearing numbers before you actually fabricate anything- just to make sure you're not setting yourself up for something completely improbable.

 

[Z0M8I3]

That's going to be an interesting build, for sure! I can't wait to see the bodywork! However- with your plans for the RAGB on the pto, and eliminating the transaxle pulley, you'd do very well to crunch the gearing numbers before you actually fabricate anything- just to make sure you're not setting yourself up for something completely improbable.

To be completely honest I don't know a thing about gearing so that's why I've not come up with any numbers yet. I was just going to wing it and see what happens..lol. Trial and error are my best friends in life it seems.

I actually have no real working knowledge of building a car other than small scale rc's and models. I also know carpentry and a load of other skills for modelling/fabricating. It's just gearing and small engines that I have no real clue on other than general knowledge.

on a side note, I did notice however, that the rear I have has a small brake disc so I was pretty happy when I seen that because I was under the impression this particular one didn't have it.

The body work is what I'm really excited to do, I love doing that stuff! I can't wait to get to that point.

 

[Z0M8I3]

Been slow right now trying to get the materials for framing so I started a concept for the frame. Still have TONS of work to do on the model but thought I'd share to keep the thread alive.

 

[Z0M8I3]

Was able to hit the scrap yard yesterday and picked up some frame rails. Aluminum 2' square tubing. I'm not worried about welding as the vehicle won't see barely any off road action if at all. Being able to use the alloy rails shaved off quite a bit of weight already (about 40lbs!).

The rear will be sitting inside the back of the rails and there will be other bracing in the middle up the length of the frame, obviously..lol.

 

[camarossnitro]

It's a good thing you have a frame already. make a basic frame out of square tubing. Get a bigger engine. A lawnmower engine isn't going to get you anywhere. Follow the path of the drag racing lawnmowers. THey wheelie. You don't want to be in the pack of losers, but the pack of winners!!!!

 

[landuse]

Get a bigger engine. A lawnmower engine isn't going to get you anywhere.

A 17HP engine is plenty. You just have to gear it right.

 

[bighead]

I would have bought that $150 Odyssey and been done with 75% of the work. Nothing like killing 20 birds with one stone.

Did you get the box I sent you yet?

You said your not worried about welding it? Are you going to bolt it togather? Also 40lbs in frame rails?

It's still for sale for $100. Think about friend. Look what it gives you ready to go now? And it a $100? You could cut that motor plate out and drop in right into the front on the ody. Your frame would be done and a roller. Then find a way to use the odyssey trans. Not sure what your funds are but just saying.

http://huntington.craigslist.org/grd/2915541218.html

 

[Z0M8I3]

I would have bought that $150 Odyssey and been done with 75% of the work. Nothing like killing 20 birds with one stone.

Did you get the box I sent you yet?

You said your not worried about welding it? Are you going to bolt it togather? Also 40lbs in frame rails?

It's still for sale for $100. Think about friend. Look what it gives you ready to go now? And it a $100? You could cut that motor plate out and drop in right into the front on the ody. Your frame would be done and a roller. Then find a way to use the odyssey trans. Not sure what your funds are but just saying.

http://huntington.craigslist.org/grd/2915541218.html

Didn't get the box yet. Checked the tracking and it says should be here today. Can't wait!

For the frame, You're correct, I'm going to be bolting it all and using lock washers since it's not going to be an off road vehicle.

As far as the rolling chassis goes, Everything I buy for this project has to fit in our car to get it home. It's killing me when I see those and just have no way to transport them, Not only that, I tried to get a friend with a truck to pick that particular one up for me and he wanted to charge me around $75 in gas...hmph, some friend..lol.

The total budget I'm shooting for is around $500 - $600 total but not at once, If I had that kinda cash I'd just pick up a nice running kart, mod and be done with it..lol.



On a side note, 2 Questions if I may.

1) What would be good to use for exhaust? I'm going to keep the main piece that was on the engine so I can have something that bolts up but I want to lengthen it and have it run very quiet with almost a rumble sound. The pipe on it is 1 inch dia.

2) I'm planning on having the gas tank mounted in the rear, Will this be needing some sort of fuel pump to feed the engine from that distance and if so, any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[smallfry1227]

have you had any progress lately?